The present disclosure relates generally to printer head shuttle and printer head assemblies for supporting and operating a printer head. In particular, printer head shuttles and printer head assemblies configured to control contact pressure of printer head assemblies against a printing substrate are described.
Printers (e.g., thermal printers, toner-based printers, liquid inkjet printers, solid ink printers, dye-sublimation printers, etc.) are peripheral computer devices that are used to create a printed graphic or text on a printing substrate (e.g., paper, plastic sheets, etc.). In general, a printer includes a printer head for transfer of the printed graphic or text on the substrate. Position and/or operation of the printer head is controlled by a printer head assembly and a printer head shuttle, which move the printer head across the printing substrate.
Known printer head shuttles and printer head assemblies are not entirely satisfactory for the range of applications in which they are employed. In one example, existing printer head shuttles and printer head assemblies can propagate “waves” in the printing substrate as they move across the substrate surface. In other words, a small fold may form in the substrate and the printer head shuttle and/or printer head assembly may sustain and/or increase the fold across the substrate causing a blank space on the final printed surface.
In another example, conventional printer head shuttles and printer head assemblies provide uneven pressure of the printer head on the substrate, causing uneven coloration (i.e., saturation) in the printed graphic and/or text. Additionally, known printer head shuttles and printer head assemblies have high power requirements that are often subject to overheating, which can cause misprinting.
Thus, there exists a need for printer head shuttles and printer head assemblies that improve upon and advance the design of known printer head shuttles and printer head assemblies. Examples of new and useful printer head shuttle and printer head assemblies relevant to the needs existing in the field are discussed below.
Disclosure addressing one or more of the identified existing needs is provided in the detailed description below. Examples of references relevant to printer head shuttles and printer head assemblies include U.S. Patent Reference: patent publication 20020033874. The complete disclosures of the above patent application is herein incorporated by reference for all purposes.